Review - The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, last month, I took a look at The Bourne Identity. Well, I guess it's only appropriate that I take a look at its 2004 sequel. Released by Universal Pictures, The Bourne Supremacy was directed by Paul Greengrass, and stars Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Marton Csokas, Gabriel Mann, and Joan Allen. And, while The Bourne Identity does follow a similar plot to the novel of the same name by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Supremacy takes the title of Ludlum's second Bourne novel, but is very much its own thing. 

       So, it's been a bit since Jason Bourne left his past life as a CIA assassin behind, and he's living a quiet life in India together with his girlfriend, Marie Kreutz. Unfortunately, Jason is set up by a.Russian assassin named Kirill, who ruins a deal between the CIA and an unnamed Russian source, who was going to sell the CIA a file on a Russian political figure named Neski, by killing both men and planting Jason's fingerprint at the scene. Kirill then goes to India to kill Jason, but ends up killing Marie instead, leaving Jason to gonna search for answers. 

      This puts Jason in the crosshairs of CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy, who lost two men in the deal gone wrong, and she winds up learning all about Jason, Treadstone, and Conklin. However, Ward Abbott, who was Conklin's boss in The Bourne Identity, wants to keep things quiet and simply thinks they should kill Jason. And, for additional information and assistance, Pamela brings in Nicky Parsons, who helps fill Pamela in on some key details about Jason and the other Treadstone agents. Speaking of Jason, he goes to see Jarda, the only other Treadstone agent still around, at his home in Munich. Jarda reveals to Jason that Conklin is dead, Treadstone is shut down, and both happened the night he walked away. However, Jarda has no clues regarding Pamela, Berlin, or why the CIA is after Jason. After a fight, Jason kills Jarda, and rigs an explosion to cover his escape. 

        Jason eventually heads to Berlin and finds the hotel that the CIA is set up in, and takes a vantage point across the street. He then calls Pamela, asks if she's running Treadstone, which she claims she isn't and there is no more Treadstone. After mentioning that he killed two people in Berlin, Jason has a flashback to his past, and reveals to Pamela that he wants to come in, and tells Pamela to send Nicky, alone, with Pamela's cell phone to Alexanderplatz. But, when Pamela mentions possibly not knowing where Nicky is, Jason remarks "That's easy. She's standing right next to you." And, this tips off Pamela, Abbott, and Nicky that Jason is, indeed watching them. 

      After arguing for a bit over the best course of action, Pamela decides to send Nicky, as instructed, and Jason nabs her on a team, taking her to a secluded location, where she confirms that Treadstone was shut down by Abbott, who was Conklin's boss, and Pamela is only after Jason because she believes he killed two of her men in Berlin, who were after the Neski file. However, Jason reveals that he was in India with Marie when the Berlin dead went South, and someone killed Marie when targeting him. Jason leaves, Essex letting Nicky go. 

       Some time later, Conklin's former assistant, Danny Zorn, speaks with Abbott about something he discovered about the crime scene, implying that he believes Jason was framed. But, when Abbott, who has been pushing for Jason's death from the beginning, kills Zorn to keep this information secret. However, Jason eventually catches up with Abbott, records a conversation between Abbott and Gretkov (Kirill's boss) about a theft of $20 million. Jason confronta Abbott, who confirms that he stole the money, sent Kirill to steal the Neski file, frame Bourne, and kill him to cover it up, and Marie was merely collateral damage. But, Jason chooses not to kill Abbott, as Marie wouldn't want that. Instead, he reveals that he taped both the phone conversation and his and Abbott's conversation, and leaves Abbott, who kills himself when confronted by Pamela, who finds the tape left by Jason. 

       Jason then goes to Russia, where after a pretty intense chase with Kirill, which ends with latter's severe injury in a tunnel, as well as Gretkov's arrest, he goes to meet with Irena, the daughter of Neski, whom Jason killed on Conklin's order, and then killed Neski's wife and set the scene up to appear as a murder-suicide. Jason confesses to what he did to Irena, and apologizes for his actions. The movie ends some time later in New York City, where Pamela is in a CIA office, and Jason calls her, where she thanks him for the tape, and tells him his date and place of birth, along with his real name: David Webb. Once again hinting that he's watching, Jason remarks "Get some rest, Pam. You look tired." 

       Honestly, The Bourne Supremacy is a massive improvement on The Bourne Identity. It serves as a brilliant continuation of the story of the first movie, and truly stands on its own as a fantastic thriller. Matt Damon, once again, sticks the landing as Jason Bourne. And, while it was sad to see Marie get killed off in this movie, it was nice to have Franka Potente return for the early scenes of the movie. And, I liked the expanded roles for both Julia Stiles as Nicky and Brian Cox as Abbott. As for the new characters, both Karl Urban as Kirill and Marton Csokas as Jarda were excellent additions, and Joan Allen as Pamela Landy was absolutely fantastic. Unlike Conklin, who wanted Jason dead or alive, Pamela wants Jason to find out what he knows and what he's looking for. 

       Overall, I love the work that Paul Greengrass did on The Bourne Supremacy, and I'm giving it a rating of 5/5. Well guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I will be getting around to reviewing the third Bourne film, The Bourne Ultimatum, probably in November. But, next time, I'll be checking out The American President.